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Hospice and Palliative Care

Hospice and Palliative Care focuses on symptom relief and comfort rather than cure. Our team of Palliative Care specialists provides assistance to veterans and their families to help with physical symptoms of life-limiting illness, emotional or spiritual support, and end-of-life care. Hospice Care is similar to Palliative Care but is intended for veterans who have a life expectancy of less than six months. Although hospice care is often associated with incurable cancer, veterans are entitled to Hospice and Palliative Care if they have any severe, progressive, life-limiting illness, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), congestive heart failure, kidney or liver failure, dementia, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig disease).

The VA Hospice and Palliative Care program in Asheville provides:

Physician Care

Nursing Care

Emotional and Psychological Support

Spiritual Counseling

Recreational Therapy

Bereavement Counseling

Volunteer Support

Services Available

Consultation Services

The Hospice and Palliative Care Service provides inpatient and outpatient consultation at the Charles George VA Medical Center. Ask your physician if a consult to Hospice and Palliative Care would be of benefit to you.

Inpatient Hospice Unit

Our 15-bed inpatient hospice unit provides compassionate, specialized care for patients in the final phase of their terminal disease. Care is provided by an interdisciplinary team which includes a physician, physician assistant, nurses, social worker, chaplain, psychologist, pharmacist, dietitian, recreational therapist, and volunteers.

Admission Criteria

The patient has a life-limiting illness as determined by the Palliative Care Consult Team and the Inpatient Hospice Team.

The estimated survival of the patient is less than 6 months and they are unable to manage their needs at home.

The patient or patient's surrogate understands that goals of care will be focusing on physical, social, emotional or spiritual comfort for patients and significant others.

Please contact our Hospice and Palliative Care team for more information: